Obama's Threat to Iran Reported as Responsible Diplomacy

Barack Obama's New Year message to the leaders and people of Iran for Nowruz was little more than obvious blackmail and threats. At the BBC and the Guardian, however, it has been hailed as the US President's offer of a 'practical solution' to a country that Obama has repeatedly threatened will military attack over the last two years.

The language of his address, coming from the most powerful country in the world which has invaded several countries near Iran in the last ten years, should be seen by journalists as fairly loaded blackmail, with statements such as ‘if the Iranian government continues down its current path, it will only further isolate Iran. This is the choice now before Iran's leaders’, and ‘the people of Iran have paid a high and unnecessary price because of your leaders' unwillingness to address this issue.’

The term ‘I hope they choose a better path’ should, in particular, raise alarm bells for journalists reporting on this message, given that Obama has recently reiterated that ‘when it comes to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, I will take no options off the table’ with regards to the US use of military force on Iran.

Obama’s speech, reported with headlines such as ‘Obama sends holiday message to Iran’ in the Guardian, has a clear message that if Iran doesn’t bend to the US’s demands, they will be ‘isolated’ and denied ‘greater trade and ties with other nations’. Only through conforming to the demands of the US, to ‘reduce nuclear tension’ as the BBC headline reads, will the ‘future of peace’ offered as ransom by Obama be possible for the people of Iran.

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Comments (2)

1. Paul Hunter

19 March 2013 13:55

And not a word about Israel's stockpile of between 200 - 400 nuclear weapons. Even a child could see the hypocrisy.

2. Richard Carter

20 March 2013 19:31

The BBC report says that "International powers suspect Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons" - when US intelligence has consistently said that Iran is not building a bomb.

But worse, is the stuff spouted by Obama in his message:

"Iran's leaders say that their nuclear programme is for medical research and electricity," Mr Obama said.

"To date, however, they have been unable to convince the international community that their nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes.

"Now is the time for the Iranian government to take immediate and meaningful steps to reduce tensions and work toward an enduring, long-term settlement of the nuclear issue."

In fact, it's for the US government "to take immediate and meaningful steps to reduce tensions,": since they are the source of those tensions, with their occupying forces and two aircraft carrier groups in the area.

And I do love this "international community" BS, a blatant attempt to put themselves on the right side.